The Object Marker 共 (kā)

01

What It Is For

You use it when something is DONE TO a definite, already-known object — moved, opened, lent, translated. The object is not new information, so it is pulled forward and the interesting part, what happened to it, comes last.

• 你會當共這句翻做越南語無？

  lí ē-tàng kā tsit kù huan-tsò uat-lâm-gí --bôlí ē-tàng kā chit kù hoan-chò oat-lâm-gí --bôli2 e7-tang3 ka7 tsit4 ku3 huan1-tso3 uat4-lam5-gi2 --bo5

  Can you translate this sentence into Vietnamese?

• 你好，敢會當共門拍開？

  lí hó kám ē-tàng kā mn̂g phah khuilí hó kám ē-tàng kā mn̂g phah khuili2 ho2 kam2 e7-tang3 ka7 mng5 phah4 khui1

  Hello — could you open the door?

02

Also 'For' and 'To' Someone

This is where 共 (kākāka7) reaches further than its Mandarin counterpart. It also marks the person the action is done FOR or TO, so the same little word covers English for me, to you and from him.

• 去店仔共我買一打雞卵。

  khì tiàm-á kā guá bé tsi̍t tánn ke-nn̄gkhì tiàm-á kā góa bé chi̍t táⁿ ke-nn̄gkhi3 tiam3-a2 ka7 gua2 be2 tsit8 tann2 ke1-nng7

  Go to the shop and buy me a dozen eggs.

• 你敢會當共筆記型電腦借我？

  lí kám ē-tàng kā pit-kì-hîng tiān-náu tsioh guálí kám ē-tàng kā pit-kì-hêng tiān-náu chioh góali2 kam2 e7-tang3 ka7 pit4-ki3-hing5 tian7-nau2 tsioh4 gua2

  Could you lend me the laptop?

• 我已經共手機仔借你矣。

  guá í-king kā tshiú-ki-á tsioh lí --ahgóa í-keng kā chhiú-ki-á chioh lí --ahgua2 i2-king1 ka7 tshiu2-ki1-a2 tsioh4 li2 --ah4

  I've already lent you the phone.

• 真歹勢共你加麻煩。

  tsin pháinn-sè kā lí ke mâ-huânchin phaíⁿ-sè kā lí ke mâ-hoântsin1 phainn2-se3 ka7 li2 ke1 ma5-huan5

  I'm very sorry to trouble you.

It marks the person spoken to as well, so tell me is built the same way as lend me.

• 你若共我講，我就會予你錢矣。

  lí nā kā guá kóng guá tō ē hōo lí tsînn --ahlí nā kā góa kóng góa tō ē hō͘ lí chîⁿ --ahli2 na7 ka7 gua2 kong2 gua2 to7 e7 hoo7 li2 tsinn5 --ah4

  If you tell me, I'll give you the money.

03

With 予

When something is handed over, 共 (kākāka7) commonly marks the thing and 予 (hōohō͘hoo7) marks the person receiving it, giving a tidy division of labour between the two.

• 你敢會當共鹽提予我？

  lí kám ē-tàng kā iâm the̍h hōo guálí kám ē-tàng kā iâm the̍h hō͘ góali2 kam2 e7-tang3 ka7 iam5 theh8 hoo7 gua2

  Could you pass me the salt?

04

Reading It

When you meet 共 (kākāka7), expect the verb later than English would put it, and read the noun right after 共 (kākāka7) as either the thing affected or the person affected. Which one it is falls out of the verb. If you are unsure whether to use it, plain subject-verb-object order is rarely wrong — 共 (kākāka7) is what makes it sound natural, not what makes it grammatical.